VANI ARVIND, A vaggeyakara comes to light
By Lakshmi Samudrala
Austin’s Carnatic music scene is no different than Boston or Chennai’s, with its usual fare of budding Arangetrams, local talents, stalwart concerts, and visiting workshops. Today’s rare event brought to light, yet another dimension of Mysore born Vani Arvind, a local Carnatic vocalist and teacher. The thunderous showers that morning, a much needed blessing to the arid Austin landscape, seemed as if the skies were showering generous benedictions to the birth of a vaggeyakara.
Sangeeta Ratnakara, the music treatise describes vAggEyakAra as the sandhi (union) of vAka+geya+kAra, where ‘vAka’ is the literary unit of a musical composition called ‘maatu’, and ‘gEyam’ is a rhythmic musical notation called ‘dhatu’, and kAra is the creator of the same. Hence a vaggeyakara is one who composes the swara as well as the sahitya of a composition. This word coined for Carnatic Music, vAggEyakAras constitute a miniscule fraction of musicians who sing, play or teach Carnatic music.
The debut album launch of Vani’s compostions, Geetanjali, was celebrated on Oct 8, 2011 in Austin, Texas. Buzzing with her students, well wishers and local Carnatic icons, the inviting entrance and the concert hall was tastily decorated with symbols of music and memorabilia of the CD. At the altar, Shringeri Sharadamba took center stage along with display of Saint Tyagaraja and Vani’s Guru and aunt, Smt Jalajakshamma (a disciple of Mysore Asthana Vidwan Sri Mariappa). A large traditional brass lamp and miniature musical instruments gave an immediate aura of sacredness and serenity to the concert hall.
Vani’s husband and the fulcrum of this effort, Arvind Margasahayam welcomed the audience and introduced the MC of the afternoon Anita Pradeep. Dressed in mauve and sporting a constant smile Anita conducted the event well. Several speakers gave a glimpse into the life and artistry of Vani Arvind, along with reviews of the CD by eminent music and dance experts. This was followed by a mini recital of select pieces.
The opening invocation Chidambareswara from the CD was ably rendered by mere 4 year old Samarth, son of Vani and Arvind who swept away the audience with his charming rendering. This was followed by a melodious Yakundendu by Neethi Nayak, a Senior student of Vani. Vani and Arvind then lit the brass lamp followed by ribbon cutting of the CD. First samples were gifted to reputed dance teacher Vinitha Subramaniam and the Nagarajans of India Fine Arts, along with the accompanists of that afternoon’s recital: Balaji Narasimhan on the Mridangam and Seshatre Natarajan on the violin.
Anita then gave a brief history of how this CD was produced. Vani and Arvind had envisioned producing a CD of Vani’s select music compositions. Although Vani has been composing since 1995, during summer of 2011, with the guidance of Vani’s Guru Vidhushi Smt. Bharathi, Vani composed 3 new songs and saw the culmination of a dream. A slide show of Vanis’s childhood and musical journey was captured highlighting Vani’s musical laurels.
Vidya Srinath then spoke about Vani’s journey of music and gave glimpses into her multifarious talents. Born in Mysore to Smt Pramila and Sri Subrahmanyam , Vani got a firm foundation in music at a young age of 5 from her aunt and renowned artist Late Smt. R. Jalajakshamma. As a child she participated in radio programs and was included as a Mysore Akashvani artist. Her first concert was at age10, followed by several concerts in Mysore, USA and the Middle East. In 2005 she was conferred the Samaja Ratna award on the occasion of Kannada Rajatothsava for her contribution towards Carnatic music. Vani’s interests extend to dance, writing, acting, and singing light songs not only in Kannada, but also in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Upon her winning the ‘champions trophy’ during every year of her high school tenure, R.K. Padmanabha, the well known Veena player conferred the name ”MalayamArutha Vani”, on her. Vani was a good orator in interschool debates, and choreographed the musical rendering of a poem. This performance was adjudged the best at the Mysore state level.
Vani’s first composition was writing lyrics for a play with her friend, in her 7th grade. She has penned several poems, plays , patriotic songs and short stories in both Hindi and Kannada and has about 25-30 musical compositions to her credit. She writes under the ankita(signature) “Shree Vani”. She owes this talent to her high school teachers, Smt Shantha Bai and Smt.SaralaKumari , who strengthened her linguistic abilities. She has a post graduate diploma in food technology from DFRL.
Vani believes in giving back the pleasure she derived from music by giving concerts at Old age homes, Orphanages and teaching to kids free of cost. Despite her busy schedule, Vani conducts a Music Meet for adults on the 3rd Sunday of every month with a lot of dedication.
Vinitha Subramaniam, a local dance teacher and choreographer of repute spoke about Vani’s compositions ‘as having lyrical ease and ability to compose with music for it with equal ease with an outpouring of Bhakthi’ and looked forward to setting to dance Chidambareswara in Natta. Of the unique thillana in Shrotasvini used for meditation music, she says ’we can all marvel at the poetry and alliteration in the sahitya’.
Sridevi Srinath read reviews of Dr. Bhamathi Sudarshan and Sri. Tirumale Srinivasa (Chami). Bhamathi Sudarshan, the torchbearer of the Thyagaraja Aradhana tradition in Austin found the compositions ‘pleasing with use of unusual ragas and with an enhanced appeal where Jatis were used. The Tillana will be appreciated by dancers and the ragas with light classicality will appeal to those who are not well versed in Carnatic Music.”
Tirumale Srinivasa, popularly known as Chami Sir is a front line vocalist, mridangist and a well known composer and music director from Bangalore worked on the background and music arrangement of the CD. He says, “It was an immense pleasure to work with Vani on her maiden album - Geetanjali. To talk about her godly given talent to write songs about different deities and also set suitable tune(s) is not an easy task”. The lyrics are not very rigid where in the words carry inner feeling of the composer and is born alive when the composer sings and presents the same.
Sucheta Alur read the review of Dr Kasinath, who hails from Bangalore and is a Professor of Medicene at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. Claiming to be a lay listener and lover of music, Dr. Kasinath felt the Shrotasvini Tillana scintillating. He credited Arvind as the ‘man behind the success’ of this production.
The program culminated with a short recital of a few select pieces from the CD. Dressed in hues of peacock blues, Vani dedicated this debut to her parents and Gurus and thanked profusely all who helped make this a reality. She was accompanied by well known local artists, Balaji Narasimhan on the Mridangam and Seshatre Natarajan on the Violin. They played Ganapatiye Modakava in Vasanti, followed by Ninna Bhajisu in Kamaprabha, and ended the concert with Shree satyasai nee in raga lalita set to khandachapu tala. The event concluded with light refreshments and people vying to give a warm and congratulatory nod or hug to this beaming star who has just stepped into the forays of vaggeyakaras. People left with the ringing Krishna tune in their ears, impatiently waiting for the first moment to play the CD to hear it again.
Geetanjali is a bouquet of 10 compositions in Kannada on various deities, in rare ragas (Kamaprabha,Shrotaswini) and talas and is a collector’s choice. One can readily feel the bhakthi or devotional aspect as well as the bhava of the compostion. Not knowing Kannada, I could feel and understand the kriti well, when I later found out the meaning from the brochure.
As I left the hall, I remembered how I met Vani. I was impressed by her adult students sing at a local function. Being a new comer to town, I wanted to meet someone to enrich my music and was stunned to find a teacher that could open her heart and home and teach for free anyone who wants to sing. That is a rarity. Vani Arvind, strikingly beautiful , with a matchless inner beauty and simplicity is truly inspiring. Our music sessions involved churning old familiar kritis in new ragas. With my rigid mind, I could not overcome this obstacle and even wondered if it was proper to retune popular kritis. But I now realize it is a quality of a vaggeyakara to be able to traverse effortlessly between ragas and to have a creativity that cannot be bound. During my memoirs at all the Aradhanas, I always wondered what it was like to be in the presence of a vaggeyagara. But to know a vaggeyakara in the making, is definitely gratifying. Vani certainly fits the bill of many qualities of a ‘best’ vakgeyakara as enumerated by Sarangadeva (good knowledge of laya, tala, kala, music, dance, and many languages, creating rasa, good tonal quality, knowledge of local customs, and ability to know the mind of others to name a few). Lurking beneath her simplicity and humility is an emerging soaring spirit. Infinitely blessed by Goddess Sharadamba, Vani is bound to make great strides in the future.
Geetanjali – Vani Arvind’s Carnatic Debut Album
Review by Lakshmi Samudrala
With advice and guidance from Guru Vidushi Smt. M.L. Bharathi the CD was produced with Vani Arvind (vocal), accompanied by M.K. Pranesh on Flute, Charulatha Ramanujam on Violi, Manjula on Veena and Rajiv Jois on Keyboard, H.L. Shivashankara Swamy on Mrudanga and Tabla, Varadaraj on Rhythmpad and Recorded at Arvind Studios in Bangalore.
Vani Arvind originally from Mysore is a B high grade Artist of AIR-Mysore. She teaches Carnatic music and Devaranamas to students and adults in the Austin, Texas area. She has been composing since 1995 to about 30 compostitions to her credit, and this CD has a few select compositions. She writes with the mudra “Shree Vani”.
The CD has 10 songs on several deities in a variety of ragas and talas. The fact that 3 out of 10 were devoted to Sharadambe shows the ishta devata inclination of Vani Arvind. Vani dedicates this CD to the memory of her loving parents and all her Gurus.
Ganapatiiye Modakava, Vasanti Ragam, Roopaka talam is the opening piece on Ganesha. It is a poignant offering seeking Lord Ganesha’s grace to remove obstacles and protect us and show the right path. Vasanti is a rare raga, in that there only a handful of compositions, and is also a raga used rarely for opening numbers or Ganesha. Vani composed this in 20 minutes while waiting at her Guru’s home. The charanam is in madhyamala kala Eka talam, and the Chitta swaras set to Roopaka talam. Ganapathiye has the flair of a Dikshitar kriti.
Chidambareshwara in Natta Ragam, Eka Talam is on Nataraja asking him to grant the nuances of Natya. The lyrics and the musical notes seem to have a cascading effect, and is a good dance item. The opening music on this score reminds one of the mallari tune used in temples while circumambulating with a beautiful Chitta swaram and solkattus. This song lends itself to dance very well.
Sangeeta varidhiye in Pantuvarali, Adi Talam is a kriti on Sharadamba. The opening viruttam of the song describes the saptasvaras as her various parts of the body. She is aroha and avaroha and the raga, bhava, tala. She is the mother of Knowledge and Wisdom and protects all of us.
Shrotasvini tillana on Sharadambe was inspired by ‘O Vasanta Raja’ of Ilaya Raja and Dr. Ghatam Karthick and dedicated to the same. This is in Khandajati atta talam (14 beats cycle), with tishra, khanda, misra nadai malike (3, 5, 7 beats) in anupallavi. This is a very popular number and is a dancer’s favorite. Shrotasvini is an enchanting pentatonic raga (sg2m1pn3s) and has one known composition by Mysore Maharaja. Ilayaraja popularized it by 2 songs, the other being Sindhiya Venmani.
Ninna bhajisuvudonde in Ragam Kamaprabha and set in Khandachapu is on Lord Aprameya (baby Krishna) who resides in Malur, near Bangalore. The composer says we shall not ask forgiveness for our sins instead beg him to grant us healthy mind to perform good deeds. Kamaprabha again is a rare raga with a scale of (sr1g2m2d1n3s). The bhakthi laden viruttam at the opening of the song uses epithets on the presiding deity of Sri Aprameya Swamy temple. This temple is more popular as Navaneeta Krishna temple where Aprameya swamy gives darshan in standing posture with shanku chakra in upper two hands and Gadha and padma in the lower hands. It is believed that Sri Rama had stayed here for many years and worshipped the Lord here and hence Sri Aprameya swamy is also called Sri Ramapraya swamy. Outside the temple is a mandapam dedicated to and called "Purandara dasa mandapa" for composing the popular "Jagado dharana" at this temple immersed in the beauty of Lord Navaneeta Krishna.
Megharanjaniygi baa is a compostion on Sharadambe in the Ragam Dharmavathi. Vani uses the raga mudra in this composition. It opens with a lilting Veena piece and the composition is soaked in bhakthi bhava. This composition was created slowly over a two year period. This composition has beautiful solkattus and chittasvaras and could be envisioned for dance readily.
Elli hodeyo neenu in Keervani, Eka Talam is a haunding melody. Yashoda runs and looks for and calls Krishna, O Krishna during his mischievous pranks. One can visualize the hide and seek and the butter stealing and the lies and innocent looks of baby Krishna. This number departs from the familiar devotional fervor of Keeravani. You hear the naughtyness of the child, exasperation of the mother, and pride of a mother who has an inner calm that her child is simply great, as well as the divine sportive play, rasaleela of Lord Krishna. The musical arrangement was done extremely well with the mesmerizing Flute piece that has a spellbinding effect on the listener lay or expert. This will be an evergreen melody and will not leave you after you hear it once. Ofcourse, one can’t stop toe tapping and swaying to the musical charm of this piece.
Shanmukhane in Revati set to Adi talam is on Lord Subrahmanya in Kukke, near Mangalore. The devotee describing the various attributes of Muruga, who sports Valli and Devasene, who shelters Nagaraja and Vasuki, who has gifted the Kumaradhare river, seeks protection. The usual heightened drama of Revati is not that evident in this piece and is more toned down.
Shree Satya Sai is a soothing bhajan in Lalita set to Khandachapu talam. In Kaliyuga, Baba lives to show the right path and protect us wherever true faith resides.
The final song is a ragamalika on Ashtalakshmi , praying for the all round prosperity that Sri Maha Lakshmi can bestow in the form of health, wealth, peace, children, food, happiness, knowledge, wisdom, etc. The song has a familiar traditional fervor and ends on an auspicious note.
Austin’s Carnatic music scene is no different than Boston or Chennai’s, with its usual fare of budding Arangetrams, local talents, stalwart concerts, and visiting workshops. Today’s rare event brought to light, yet another dimension of Mysore born Vani Arvind, a local Carnatic vocalist and teacher. The thunderous showers that morning, a much needed blessing to the arid Austin landscape, seemed as if the skies were showering generous benedictions to the birth of a vaggeyakara.
Sangeeta Ratnakara, the music treatise describes vAggEyakAra as the sandhi (union) of vAka+geya+kAra, where ‘vAka’ is the literary unit of a musical composition called ‘maatu’, and ‘gEyam’ is a rhythmic musical notation called ‘dhatu’, and kAra is the creator of the same. Hence a vaggeyakara is one who composes the swara as well as the sahitya of a composition. This word coined for Carnatic Music, vAggEyakAras constitute a miniscule fraction of musicians who sing, play or teach Carnatic music.
The debut album launch of Vani’s compostions, Geetanjali, was celebrated on Oct 8, 2011 in Austin, Texas. Buzzing with her students, well wishers and local Carnatic icons, the inviting entrance and the concert hall was tastily decorated with symbols of music and memorabilia of the CD. At the altar, Shringeri Sharadamba took center stage along with display of Saint Tyagaraja and Vani’s Guru and aunt, Smt Jalajakshamma (a disciple of Mysore Asthana Vidwan Sri Mariappa). A large traditional brass lamp and miniature musical instruments gave an immediate aura of sacredness and serenity to the concert hall.
Vani’s husband and the fulcrum of this effort, Arvind Margasahayam welcomed the audience and introduced the MC of the afternoon Anita Pradeep. Dressed in mauve and sporting a constant smile Anita conducted the event well. Several speakers gave a glimpse into the life and artistry of Vani Arvind, along with reviews of the CD by eminent music and dance experts. This was followed by a mini recital of select pieces.
The opening invocation Chidambareswara from the CD was ably rendered by mere 4 year old Samarth, son of Vani and Arvind who swept away the audience with his charming rendering. This was followed by a melodious Yakundendu by Neethi Nayak, a Senior student of Vani. Vani and Arvind then lit the brass lamp followed by ribbon cutting of the CD. First samples were gifted to reputed dance teacher Vinitha Subramaniam and the Nagarajans of India Fine Arts, along with the accompanists of that afternoon’s recital: Balaji Narasimhan on the Mridangam and Seshatre Natarajan on the violin.
Anita then gave a brief history of how this CD was produced. Vani and Arvind had envisioned producing a CD of Vani’s select music compositions. Although Vani has been composing since 1995, during summer of 2011, with the guidance of Vani’s Guru Vidhushi Smt. Bharathi, Vani composed 3 new songs and saw the culmination of a dream. A slide show of Vanis’s childhood and musical journey was captured highlighting Vani’s musical laurels.
Vidya Srinath then spoke about Vani’s journey of music and gave glimpses into her multifarious talents. Born in Mysore to Smt Pramila and Sri Subrahmanyam , Vani got a firm foundation in music at a young age of 5 from her aunt and renowned artist Late Smt. R. Jalajakshamma. As a child she participated in radio programs and was included as a Mysore Akashvani artist. Her first concert was at age10, followed by several concerts in Mysore, USA and the Middle East. In 2005 she was conferred the Samaja Ratna award on the occasion of Kannada Rajatothsava for her contribution towards Carnatic music. Vani’s interests extend to dance, writing, acting, and singing light songs not only in Kannada, but also in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Upon her winning the ‘champions trophy’ during every year of her high school tenure, R.K. Padmanabha, the well known Veena player conferred the name ”MalayamArutha Vani”, on her. Vani was a good orator in interschool debates, and choreographed the musical rendering of a poem. This performance was adjudged the best at the Mysore state level.
Vani’s first composition was writing lyrics for a play with her friend, in her 7th grade. She has penned several poems, plays , patriotic songs and short stories in both Hindi and Kannada and has about 25-30 musical compositions to her credit. She writes under the ankita(signature) “Shree Vani”. She owes this talent to her high school teachers, Smt Shantha Bai and Smt.SaralaKumari , who strengthened her linguistic abilities. She has a post graduate diploma in food technology from DFRL.
Vani believes in giving back the pleasure she derived from music by giving concerts at Old age homes, Orphanages and teaching to kids free of cost. Despite her busy schedule, Vani conducts a Music Meet for adults on the 3rd Sunday of every month with a lot of dedication.
Vinitha Subramaniam, a local dance teacher and choreographer of repute spoke about Vani’s compositions ‘as having lyrical ease and ability to compose with music for it with equal ease with an outpouring of Bhakthi’ and looked forward to setting to dance Chidambareswara in Natta. Of the unique thillana in Shrotasvini used for meditation music, she says ’we can all marvel at the poetry and alliteration in the sahitya’.
Sridevi Srinath read reviews of Dr. Bhamathi Sudarshan and Sri. Tirumale Srinivasa (Chami). Bhamathi Sudarshan, the torchbearer of the Thyagaraja Aradhana tradition in Austin found the compositions ‘pleasing with use of unusual ragas and with an enhanced appeal where Jatis were used. The Tillana will be appreciated by dancers and the ragas with light classicality will appeal to those who are not well versed in Carnatic Music.”
Tirumale Srinivasa, popularly known as Chami Sir is a front line vocalist, mridangist and a well known composer and music director from Bangalore worked on the background and music arrangement of the CD. He says, “It was an immense pleasure to work with Vani on her maiden album - Geetanjali. To talk about her godly given talent to write songs about different deities and also set suitable tune(s) is not an easy task”. The lyrics are not very rigid where in the words carry inner feeling of the composer and is born alive when the composer sings and presents the same.
Sucheta Alur read the review of Dr Kasinath, who hails from Bangalore and is a Professor of Medicene at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. Claiming to be a lay listener and lover of music, Dr. Kasinath felt the Shrotasvini Tillana scintillating. He credited Arvind as the ‘man behind the success’ of this production.
The program culminated with a short recital of a few select pieces from the CD. Dressed in hues of peacock blues, Vani dedicated this debut to her parents and Gurus and thanked profusely all who helped make this a reality. She was accompanied by well known local artists, Balaji Narasimhan on the Mridangam and Seshatre Natarajan on the Violin. They played Ganapatiye Modakava in Vasanti, followed by Ninna Bhajisu in Kamaprabha, and ended the concert with Shree satyasai nee in raga lalita set to khandachapu tala. The event concluded with light refreshments and people vying to give a warm and congratulatory nod or hug to this beaming star who has just stepped into the forays of vaggeyakaras. People left with the ringing Krishna tune in their ears, impatiently waiting for the first moment to play the CD to hear it again.
Geetanjali is a bouquet of 10 compositions in Kannada on various deities, in rare ragas (Kamaprabha,Shrotaswini) and talas and is a collector’s choice. One can readily feel the bhakthi or devotional aspect as well as the bhava of the compostion. Not knowing Kannada, I could feel and understand the kriti well, when I later found out the meaning from the brochure.
As I left the hall, I remembered how I met Vani. I was impressed by her adult students sing at a local function. Being a new comer to town, I wanted to meet someone to enrich my music and was stunned to find a teacher that could open her heart and home and teach for free anyone who wants to sing. That is a rarity. Vani Arvind, strikingly beautiful , with a matchless inner beauty and simplicity is truly inspiring. Our music sessions involved churning old familiar kritis in new ragas. With my rigid mind, I could not overcome this obstacle and even wondered if it was proper to retune popular kritis. But I now realize it is a quality of a vaggeyakara to be able to traverse effortlessly between ragas and to have a creativity that cannot be bound. During my memoirs at all the Aradhanas, I always wondered what it was like to be in the presence of a vaggeyagara. But to know a vaggeyakara in the making, is definitely gratifying. Vani certainly fits the bill of many qualities of a ‘best’ vakgeyakara as enumerated by Sarangadeva (good knowledge of laya, tala, kala, music, dance, and many languages, creating rasa, good tonal quality, knowledge of local customs, and ability to know the mind of others to name a few). Lurking beneath her simplicity and humility is an emerging soaring spirit. Infinitely blessed by Goddess Sharadamba, Vani is bound to make great strides in the future.
Geetanjali – Vani Arvind’s Carnatic Debut Album
Review by Lakshmi Samudrala
With advice and guidance from Guru Vidushi Smt. M.L. Bharathi the CD was produced with Vani Arvind (vocal), accompanied by M.K. Pranesh on Flute, Charulatha Ramanujam on Violi, Manjula on Veena and Rajiv Jois on Keyboard, H.L. Shivashankara Swamy on Mrudanga and Tabla, Varadaraj on Rhythmpad and Recorded at Arvind Studios in Bangalore.
Vani Arvind originally from Mysore is a B high grade Artist of AIR-Mysore. She teaches Carnatic music and Devaranamas to students and adults in the Austin, Texas area. She has been composing since 1995 to about 30 compostitions to her credit, and this CD has a few select compositions. She writes with the mudra “Shree Vani”.
The CD has 10 songs on several deities in a variety of ragas and talas. The fact that 3 out of 10 were devoted to Sharadambe shows the ishta devata inclination of Vani Arvind. Vani dedicates this CD to the memory of her loving parents and all her Gurus.
Ganapatiiye Modakava, Vasanti Ragam, Roopaka talam is the opening piece on Ganesha. It is a poignant offering seeking Lord Ganesha’s grace to remove obstacles and protect us and show the right path. Vasanti is a rare raga, in that there only a handful of compositions, and is also a raga used rarely for opening numbers or Ganesha. Vani composed this in 20 minutes while waiting at her Guru’s home. The charanam is in madhyamala kala Eka talam, and the Chitta swaras set to Roopaka talam. Ganapathiye has the flair of a Dikshitar kriti.
Chidambareshwara in Natta Ragam, Eka Talam is on Nataraja asking him to grant the nuances of Natya. The lyrics and the musical notes seem to have a cascading effect, and is a good dance item. The opening music on this score reminds one of the mallari tune used in temples while circumambulating with a beautiful Chitta swaram and solkattus. This song lends itself to dance very well.
Sangeeta varidhiye in Pantuvarali, Adi Talam is a kriti on Sharadamba. The opening viruttam of the song describes the saptasvaras as her various parts of the body. She is aroha and avaroha and the raga, bhava, tala. She is the mother of Knowledge and Wisdom and protects all of us.
Shrotasvini tillana on Sharadambe was inspired by ‘O Vasanta Raja’ of Ilaya Raja and Dr. Ghatam Karthick and dedicated to the same. This is in Khandajati atta talam (14 beats cycle), with tishra, khanda, misra nadai malike (3, 5, 7 beats) in anupallavi. This is a very popular number and is a dancer’s favorite. Shrotasvini is an enchanting pentatonic raga (sg2m1pn3s) and has one known composition by Mysore Maharaja. Ilayaraja popularized it by 2 songs, the other being Sindhiya Venmani.
Ninna bhajisuvudonde in Ragam Kamaprabha and set in Khandachapu is on Lord Aprameya (baby Krishna) who resides in Malur, near Bangalore. The composer says we shall not ask forgiveness for our sins instead beg him to grant us healthy mind to perform good deeds. Kamaprabha again is a rare raga with a scale of (sr1g2m2d1n3s). The bhakthi laden viruttam at the opening of the song uses epithets on the presiding deity of Sri Aprameya Swamy temple. This temple is more popular as Navaneeta Krishna temple where Aprameya swamy gives darshan in standing posture with shanku chakra in upper two hands and Gadha and padma in the lower hands. It is believed that Sri Rama had stayed here for many years and worshipped the Lord here and hence Sri Aprameya swamy is also called Sri Ramapraya swamy. Outside the temple is a mandapam dedicated to and called "Purandara dasa mandapa" for composing the popular "Jagado dharana" at this temple immersed in the beauty of Lord Navaneeta Krishna.
Megharanjaniygi baa is a compostion on Sharadambe in the Ragam Dharmavathi. Vani uses the raga mudra in this composition. It opens with a lilting Veena piece and the composition is soaked in bhakthi bhava. This composition was created slowly over a two year period. This composition has beautiful solkattus and chittasvaras and could be envisioned for dance readily.
Elli hodeyo neenu in Keervani, Eka Talam is a haunding melody. Yashoda runs and looks for and calls Krishna, O Krishna during his mischievous pranks. One can visualize the hide and seek and the butter stealing and the lies and innocent looks of baby Krishna. This number departs from the familiar devotional fervor of Keeravani. You hear the naughtyness of the child, exasperation of the mother, and pride of a mother who has an inner calm that her child is simply great, as well as the divine sportive play, rasaleela of Lord Krishna. The musical arrangement was done extremely well with the mesmerizing Flute piece that has a spellbinding effect on the listener lay or expert. This will be an evergreen melody and will not leave you after you hear it once. Ofcourse, one can’t stop toe tapping and swaying to the musical charm of this piece.
Shanmukhane in Revati set to Adi talam is on Lord Subrahmanya in Kukke, near Mangalore. The devotee describing the various attributes of Muruga, who sports Valli and Devasene, who shelters Nagaraja and Vasuki, who has gifted the Kumaradhare river, seeks protection. The usual heightened drama of Revati is not that evident in this piece and is more toned down.
Shree Satya Sai is a soothing bhajan in Lalita set to Khandachapu talam. In Kaliyuga, Baba lives to show the right path and protect us wherever true faith resides.
The final song is a ragamalika on Ashtalakshmi , praying for the all round prosperity that Sri Maha Lakshmi can bestow in the form of health, wealth, peace, children, food, happiness, knowledge, wisdom, etc. The song has a familiar traditional fervor and ends on an auspicious note.
